Reflecting my nerdy (and beyond) highlights of 2025
Tech Purchases
I’m trying to buy as little stuff as possible after spending a lot of money in my life on gadgets until a few years ago. I have learned that most things don’t make me more happy and it is just the short thrill of the purchase. Still I got a few things that I was planning to get for a while:
- Geforce RTX 5080
- refurbished Sonos Arc
- a new battery for my iPhone 14 Pro
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 nano (1. Gen) — I barley use it, so there is definitely some buyer’s remorse
Software
I switched to Windows 11 and it is fine but it is not a highlight for me. I very much dislike the trend of cramming AI into every piece of software and on the other hand neglecting the basics. Another recent example is WhatsApp. They replace the native app with webview trash.
The software that I started using and enjoyed the most in 2025:
Games
My highlights are
- the Last of Us — Part I
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Battlefield 6 — I just love it and it pretty much matches my wishlist from 2020 which Battlefield 2024 was not fulfilling
Beyond Tech
I listend to many podcasts and some books. The ones that made me reflect the most are “Same as Ever” and “The Art of Spending Money” by Morgan Housel
My fascination for Bitcoin is bigger than ever — learning about it teaches many things beyond just money. This is the one quote that was transformative to my mind:
Disziplin ist Form der größten Freiheit
⸺ Bruce Florian in Der Bitcoin Podcast
In 2025 I witnessed the beginning of a new life but also the ending of another one. It changed my life as well.